Environmental Ministry Discussion List

If you'd like to drop a note to members of the FUMC Environmental Ministry, there's now an easy way. Just send your e-mail to 1stecoteam@topica.com. Everybody will receive it in their e-mail. And if you want to read it on the web, you can do so at this address: http://lists.topica.com/lists/1stecoteam/read

Rechargable Batteries

Forgive the length of this blog, I am trying to cram a lot of info into this...And be sure to click on the links in this to see examples!
1. Intro
2. Short Version
3. Long Version
4. Battery & Charger Recommendations
5. Battery Recycling

1. INTRODUCTION
Like light bulbs, we use many batteries throughout our houses and apartments. Perhaps, you have more than you realize. And when those batteries dies, they get thrown into the trash to be replaced with new ones. Every battery that gets thrown away introduces very powerful and harsh chemicals into the environment. Think about your living room...do you have a remote? TV, VCR, DVD, Stereo, CD Player, Cable/Satellite, video game system controllers, ceiling fan remotes...I am sure I am forgetting some. What about flashlights? Portable radios? All of these items use batteries. What if you were able to reduce your expense on those batteries? That would be great! And if you could reduce your impact on the environment at the same time? It just makes sense.

2. SHORT VERSION
Here's what you need, for best results (in my opinion)
1) Rechargeable NiMH batteries (nickel-metal hydride)
2) A "smart" or "peak" charger (NOT timed!!!!)

That's it, that's all you need. There are other types of batteries and chargers, but these prove to be the best in many ways.

3. LONG VERSION
For common AA, AAA, D, C, & 9V cells, your choices are basically NiMH or NiCd (nickel-cadmium) The biggest problem with NiCd is the environmental impact. The Cadmium is a very powerful pollutant. Another problem is that they do not have as long of a lifespan as NiMH. Additionally, the NiCd requires discharging and suffers from "memory" effects. Memory effect basically means that over time it loses it's ability to be fully charged. To help offset that, you must periodically "discharge" your battery using a discharger. The only benefit is that they are inexpensive to buy.
NiMH batteries have no memory effect, require no maintenance, and aren't nearly as bad for the environment. And don't forget they last longer, too!

For chargers, there is a variety available. The best, as I mentioned, is a Peak/Smart charger. This charger type monitors each battery being charged and will automatically shut off when the cell is charged. The other most common battery charger is a timed charger. It will charge for a set amount of time then turn off. The problem with this is you can end up overcharging your battery, shortening the battery's life.

4. BATTERY & CHARGER RECOMMENDATIONS
I use eBay to purchase my batteries and charger. Simply put, it's amazingly cheaper for the same quality. I buy from All-Battery. They are simply the cheapest supplier I have found and I have many of their products.

Your biggest investment will be your charger, since it can extend or shorten your battery's life.
I use this charger. However, they also have other Smart Chargers with slightly different features. Just be sure to consider what battery sizes you want to charge & make sure the charger will handle all of them.

For batteries, you can't really go wrong. I encourage you to compare the per-battery price here to that of the ones you find in Wal-Mart or Best Buy. Even including shipping, these will almost ALWAYS be less. I will sometimes call friends or family when I am making a purchase to save money on shipping and get even better deals. Also, they offer many assortments for batteries. You can get 16AA, 12AA + 12AAA, or any other combination thinkable.

On a personal note...In my house, we have acquired enough rechargeable AA's and AAA's that we have a box of them next to our charger on the microwave. When a battery is dead, we just put it in the charger and pull out a freshly charged one. We NEVER go without batteries...it's so convenient & easy!

5. BATTERY RECYCLING
Not only do we use the common AA, AAA, C, etc. battery types, we also use rechargeable batteries in Remote Controlled Cars & Cordless Power Tools. Eventually, these batteries will all die. They lose their ability to hold a charge and are n good. (Usually after literally 1000+ charges, mind you) Now you have a chance to AGAIN help the environment. First you used rechargeable batteries and reduced waste. Now you can go and RECYCLE your used rechargeable batteries. To find out where you can recycle near you, try looking at the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation. You can search by location and find a drop off near you. Near my house, I can go to Lowe's or Radio Shack. What about you? Be sure to poke around the site, it is full of useful battery related information.

Thanks for reading this blog. I hope it was informative, and I hope you really consider switching to rechargeable batteries. And don't forget, you don't have to replace every battery at once. Like you change lightbulbs, consider changing a few at a time or as finances permit. You will absolutely come out ahead financially, and environmentally. If you have any questions about these batteries or what I've said, feel free to email me at "broncojd78@yahoo.com."

Thanks again,
Joe

Greener Grass

Did you know that mowing your grass for one hour with a gasoline-powered mower produces as much pollution as driving a car 50 miles? Those noisy little machines are one of the worst sources of urban air pollution. Last year I bought a battery- powered mower that's quiet, easy to start, and 100% non-polluting to the environment. It works great and makes mowing a much more enjoyable activity. Give me a call (214-319-7042) if you want to come by and try it out. If you're in the market for a new lawn mower, this is definitely the way to go!

LenniJo Henderson

Doing it All Downtown

Here's some of what the Holloways are doing for the environment.

1. Driving a hybrid Camry.
2. Living downtown. (eco thumbprint is less when you live stacked up) Also, urban dwellers generally use much less energy because they live close to work and play.
3. Recycle paper, glass, plastics.
4. Launder in cold water using biodegradable detergent.
5. Use recycled paper products.
6. Thermostat is on 68 in winter and 74 in summer.

We're also working on replacing light bulbs in our condo.

Susan and Mike Holloway

Riding the Rails to Church

Our family has actively been using DART light rail instead of driving to FUMC for years, saving money and reducing our carbon footprint. For lunch we walk downtown (Urban Market/West End) or stop at West Village or Mockingbird Station. Occasionally we take the McKinney Ave trolley for lunch on McKinney Ave.

Glen Suhren

What First Church Members Are Already Doing for the Environment

Wouldn't it be great if we could have a blog made up of things members of the environmental committee and other church members are already doing to help the environment?

Just about anything -- no matter how small -- could go here.

If you're participating in your city's recycling program you could write a quick note about it and include web pages or phone numbers so people who haven't joined can get signed up. If you do something to save water or energy or avoid waste, you could share the specifics here.

Maybe each member of the committee could check the blog then write about something that hasn't been covered yet. What you write wouldn't have to be long. In fact, shorter entries are more often read.

And remember -- If you're uncomfortable doing the blog posting yourself, you can e-mail it to me (garyduke@gmail.com) and I'll put it up for you.
And just to things conistent and easy to read, I may occasionally do light editing.

Hope you can help !